Author page: Laura Bechard

On our farm, getting the equipment ready for spring seeding or the fall harvest is an important seasonal routine. If we have an equipment breakdown, we increase risk to the business. If we don’t get the crop planted by a certain date, we increase the chance that we won’t get it harvested before frost or other inclement weather arrives in the fall. In a crop production business, no crop = no revenue. For us, routines are an important element to save time, to increase safety, to reduce stress or to minimize input costs. For others, routines are an essential element of their creative process. What routines are in place in your business? It might not sound like stimulating conversation to discuss the routines in your business, but when you link routines to increased profits, time savings or reduced stress, now that is worth talking about! “Focus on being productive instead…

Frustrated with your ability to take your business to the next level? Feeling the pinch between working in your business and spending time where you really want to – with friends, family or leisure pursuits? Tired? Are you enjoying a successful business and starting to think about outsourcing more, hiring staff or stepping away from operations? Here’s five simple, but not easy, ways you can step back from operations (working IN your business) to focus on taking your business to the next level (working ON your business). Fill out an organization chart -even if you put your name in many or all of the boxes right now, start carving off pieces into similar functional roles such as sales, marketing, record keeping, business development, research, purchasing and human resources. When you’re ready to start outsourcing or hiring employees instead of doing everything yourself, you’ve got a good start on the job…